Dear Parents / Guardians: At this time each year, it is my distinct pleasure to invite the entire Dr. S.E. McDowell School community back to start another exciting year. Once again, as I send out this message to all of you, it comes with the underlying message that things may still not quite be back to normal at school, since the Coronavirus Pandemic is still in our midst and is still a great concern for us all. That being said, after the experience last year, we at the school are optimistic about the nature of the 2021-2022 school year because we know that our students coped and adapted seamlessly to the new rules of conduct, and that they prospered with the benefit of in-person learning. We have a fine school, fine people, and a great tradition here at DRSEM, and as we set forth this year our goal is to make this the best year ever.     For your general information, the first day of school will be Monday, August 30th.  This will be a regular school day for all students from Grade 1 to Grade 6. As usual, there will be a staggered entry for kindergarten students. All families involved will be contacted later this week by the teachers involved to arrange individual meeting times. All kindergarten classes will commence Wednesday, September 1st. Please find enclosed a copy of the DRSEM school calendar for the 2021-2022 school year. Something that will be happening again this year is that most